Marchin' to Zion — "This one is a great closer"
— performed by the AR All-State Mixed Choir Rousing gospel hymn for SATB choir & piano 6' Published by Santa Barbara Music Publishing SBMP1074
PREVIEW SCORE BELOW
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Performed by the 2017 Arkansas All-State Mixed Choir.
It starts very innocently, but then gospel quickly takes hold, and the piece gets to marchin' all the way to a rousing conclusion. This one is a great closer. —Sheet Music Plus
A lush setting of the gospel hymn leads to a rousing setting for gospel choir. —Santa Barbara Music Publishing
Harbold gives the piece energy, drive and an unmistakable train engine on the road to “fairer worlds on high.” — Jane Ring Frank
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ADDITIONAL RECORDINGS
Arkansas All-State rendition Example of a performance featuring amazing improvisation!
If you have pianists and soloists who can improvise, check out the original performance by the New England Conservatory Chorus, with Phillip Woods on piano and Karen Tobin on vocals: |
NOTES
This arrangement contrasts and celebrates two very different renditions of the gospel hymn "Marching to Zion." The dreamy introduction showcases the traditional gospel hymn that I knew from childhood. But the bulk of the arrangement grooves to the upbeat gospel rendition I learned from my Gospel Choir at United Baptist Church, with some added "marching" vamp sections and accelerating key changes that are all my own. Gospel music is highly improvisational, and I give your pianist permission to improvise freely. The upbeat rendition of the hymn is normally sung "call and response" style with a soloist who improvises throughout. If you have a fantastic gospel soloist, please add them! To give you an idea of what a performance with improvised piano and soloist might sound like, listen to New England Conservatory Chorus rendition below. They're fantastic! LYRICS
We're marching to Zion, beautiful, beautiful Zion, We're marching upward to Zion, that beautiful city of God. Come we that love the Lord, and let our joys be known. Join in a song of sweet accord and thus surround the throne. We're marching, we're marching up to Zion, that beautiful city of God. We're marching, we're marching up to Zion, that beautiful city of God. Then let our songs abound, and every tear be dry, We're marching through Immanuel's ground to fairer worlds on high. Marching, marching, marching up to Zion. Oh yes, that beautiful city of God. We're marching, oh yes, you know we're marching way up to beautiful Zion. We're marching to Zion, beautiful, beautiful Zion that beautiful city of God. — Isaac Watts, adapted |
SEE ALSO:
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